Mahjong Time
Sign In  
Language: English  简体中文  繁體中文  Español  Français  Русский  日本語 한국어
Home About MT News Game Info Tournaments Affiliates Contact Us
MahjongTime News
No Download required
Open Account
Learn to play

MahjongTime News


a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - 1-4-7 rule

To comment visit Mahjong Time's blog: http://mahjongtime.blogspot.com/2011/03/a3geffens-hints-and-pointers-1-4-7-rule.html

There are quite a number of manuals on the basics of how to play a game of mahjong. The amount on strategy and tactics however is limited. Mahjong Time has asked Adrie van Geffen (a3geffen) to share his views in that territory. In the year 2011 he will publish a series of articles with hints and pointers having to do with strategy of mahjong in the different styles (except American): Hong Kong (HK); European Classic (EC); Mahjong Competition Rules (MCR); Riichi Competition Rules (RCR); Taiwanese (TW). Below part 5 – 1-4-7 rule.

 In RCR the 1-4-7 rule is called a rule but is really just an indication of a rule. For the other variations it’s a rule of thumb with an extra as reminder in MCR. Just get the name 1-4-7 in your head and don’t lose it.

The name of the rule derives from the possibilities of making mahjong on 2-3-4-5-6 in your hand. Three ways to go: 1, 4 or 7. A choice had to be made and it became 1-4-7, but the same applies to 2-5-8 and 3-6-9. Just a shift of one position. The 1-4-7 rule is part of getting a no win hand in RCR and being furiten. If you are waiting for a chow with 2-3 and you have already discarde the 1 yourself, you are not allowed to claim the 4 for a winning hand. If you have the combination of five with a three way waiting hand you are also not allowed to claim the 7 for a win. Perhaps better to give that ‘furiten’ a full page in the future…

For now it suffices to get the term in your head. Time is limited to make your move and this mind sticker can be very helpful. Earlier I suggested you to wait with chowing and punging and watch de development in your hand just by taking tiles from the wall. Although it doesn’t generate many points in EC, a style where mostly anything goes, it may pay off in the end. And that is because waiting will give you more opportunities to go out. Getting a sequence as 3-4-5-6-7 gives you a waiting hand (when the rest is formed) for 3 different tiles (2-5-8) of which ideally there are still 11 available. But it is also important for your flexibility and not losing turns by claiming a tile you later pick up yourself. The sequence of five tiles could be very useful to get a larger target for a closing pair if you are still looking for it. Four ways to get the eyes and if you pick the five you will have two full chows. Something to treasure.

In MCR there is a weird combination that scores quite some points: knitted tiles. In three different colours you need all (for a straight) or most in combinations 1-4-7, 2-5-8 and 3-6-9. As a personal note: I played this one during the 2nd Chinese Open in Hong Kong and the Chinese players were baffled. That was back in 2004 when the rules were played but not everyone was fully accustomed to them. Nowadays it is more common as a target to aim for. For me it is the first thing to look at when I turn my hand at the start. An initial looking-like-junk hand could well be just two or three tiles from victory.

For those wondering why many players simply discard Dragons and Winds early on: you have the most chances to make mahjong with a chow hand than otherwise. Better to save a the 4 or 7 when you have 4-5-6-7 than to save a single Dragon or Wind hoping to get more to make a pung. The pattern builders in RCR and MCR will discard them happily while the point collectors in TW, HK and EC will sit on them like hens on eggs. Adapting strategy from one style to another is something to to be cautious about. When three players at my table use HK strategy in MCR (pung, pung, pung), well then you have me. And I will curse them. Because then 1-4-7 in my mind has no use. Or…last tile, robbing a kong? Beware: 1-4-7 is powerful!



Written by Adrie van Geffen
homepage: http://homepages.ipact.nl/~geffen

To comment visit Mahjong Time's blog: http://mahjongtime.blogspot.com/2011/03/a3geffens-hints-and-pointers-1-4-7-rule.html
Related Articles:
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - Big Hands
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - To Kong or not To Kong
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - First Discard
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - Exclusion Rule MCR
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - 1-4-7 Rule
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - Flower Power
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - Levels of Play
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - Right Time to Act
a3geffen's Hints and Pointers - Be Comfortable
Player Profile a3geffen

3/10/2011
11/29/2011
Player Spotlight: ComboRus
Read
11/17/2011
Mahjong Time signs licensing agreement with MatchMove Games, accessing Yahoo! Southeast Asia
Read
11/15/2011
Riichi Madness Tournament Announced!
Read
10/25/2011
Mah Jongg Madness in Las Vegas
Read
10/03/2011
Taiwanese Madness Tournament - October 22d
Read
 
About Mahjong Time - Download Mahjong - Mahjong Time Membership - Free Mahjongg Games - Free Mah Jongg Game - Mah jongg - Mah Jong - Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy - Share Ware Mah Jongg - Mahjong Mahjong - Affiliate/Corporate - Play Mah jongg Online - Mah jongg Flowers - Mahjongg Mahjongg - Helpful Resources - Contact Us - Press Inquiries - Site Map - English - Chinese Simplified - Chinese Traditional - Spanish - French - Russian - Japanese - Korean - Mahjong

Copyright © 2022 Mahjong Time All Rights Reserved